IIn my new workshop I built the headers for the windows as well as cut down some 2x6 boards
and made them into old fashioned 2x4s. My lumber yard does not carry rough cut 2x4s. On Sunday
March 12 with my trusty helper by my side (Patrice) we installed five second floor windows. The
following Monday I installed two more windows to bring the total up to 8 windows installed by us
and 8 windows to go. The window project being half done puts me right on schedule. Knock on
wood.
Day 195
We finished putting in the last two windows on Sunday March 25th. This actually put me ahead of
schedule by one week. For the most part the process was relatively easy but as with all the steps of
this project I am glad that it is over with so I can start the next step. I still need to build the trim
work around the windows for both the inside and the outside. The inside needs to wait until the
walls are sheet rocked and I can work on the outside trim as the weather warms up a bit. However
right now it is more important to get the inside of the house ready in case we sell our current home
and need to move quickly.
On March 26, 2006 I started to enclose the windows on the side of the house where the
breezeway will be built. I also cut a door opening which will lead from the music room to the
breezeway. After this I will continue to work on the interior studding so the floor plan lays out the
way we would like it to. We are not changing a lot, mostly making new door ways or eliminating
some doorways.We are also turning one of our bedrooms into a master bath with a walk -in closet
which will connect to the master bedroom and of course we will be making the attic in to a media
room for the kids.
Once this process is done I can bring in the electrician to help me re-wire the house.Yes I will be
helping with the electric. I figure since I was such a great "conductor" earlier with it why not give
it a try!
April 24,2006
Last week I was on vacation and spent the time working 12 hour days on the house. I sent my
wife and kids to Cape Cod so I could work guilt free. It was nice to get up every day and only
have to worry about working on the house. If I could win the lottery I would be very content
doing this for the rest of my life.
During this time I was able to finish trimming out the exterior doors and despite Mother Nature's
best efforts I was able to get one coat of primer and two coats of finish paint of them. I was also
able to make several trips to the dump and cleaned up the yard a bit.
On the inside of the house I pretty much finished the inside framing. This included framing out the
kitchen, half bath and laundry room.
The addition to the kitchen was built six inches too narrow, due to this I had to fir out the existing
kitchen wall to match up with the new kitchen wall this prevents the wall for bumping out and now
the wall continues in a straight line. At first I was a little upset about this mishap when they poured
the foundation but in the end it worked out well as we needed the space to drop the sewer line
down from the upstairs bathrooms. (The previous owners had the line running down the outside of
the wall in the kitchen). It also creates quite the opening into the kitchen from the hallway with an
11" wide door jamb.
The plumbers have started to rough plumb the house and it is exciting to have the house start
looking like a home!
Earlier this evening Pattie and I laid out the floor plan for the kitchen cabinets and the laundry
room. During the day I met with a guy named Jerry about putting in a cement floor for the kitchen.
They can create almost any kind of look and texture, the only drawback is that the floor would
need to be two inches thick plus we have not yet received a cost estimate either. Jerry also has a
process which can make your foundation walls look like granite and we plan to do this in the
doghouse leading down to the wine cellar as well as the wine cellar walls. Again we have yet to get
a price, so this too may change.
The next project will be pulling up the old flooring in the kids bathroom and then start the wiring if
the electrician is ready.
Day 242 May 11,2006
It seems like every time I think I am ready to move on to the next project I find some work I
forgot to do. This holds true once again. After removing the old floor in the kid's bath I realized I
forgot to frame out the attic. So I spent last week framing out the attic. I was very happy with the
outcome and think that the new window seats will be one of my favorite places to sit and reflect
(ok, sit and have a beer) once we finally move into the house.
Speaking of moving into the house we still have no offers on our current home and funds are
getting low. Please send any and all interested home buyers our way so we can complete this
project!